Born to Die
by nativedoll16
Summary: Alexandria a safe zone separated from the outside world that is riddled with either murderers or Walkers. What happens when a new young woman moves into Alexandria. Friendships will be made. Lives will be lost. Can Rick and the gang survive this time?
1. Chapter 1

Song for the chapter: Born to Die by Lana Del Rey (Listen to this before you read the chapter please!)

Devastation. Loss. Grief and pain. I knew it all too well.

There was always hate, violence, and death in the world, but in an apocalypse things were different. Problems like gender equality, racism, and LGBT rights didn't matter anymore. In this world little children were taught to shoot first and ask questions later.

Right or wrong no longer existed. In our world there was such thing a laws, rules, or regulations. When humans walk among the dead we were only left with three options; kill each other, kill ourselves, or kill only the dead. Either way we had to learn how to survive.

The kill or be kill mentality often poisoned the minds of the weak and harden the psyche of the supposed strong. I somehow fell in the middle of it all.

I had been on my own for one year. One whole year moving from place to place hiding wherever it was safe during the night and walking in the streets during the day. I walked each day without a known path. All I knew is if I stayed in one place for too long the Walkers would eventually migrate to my isolated area and rip me to shreds.

Every day I awaited death. I invited knowing that it was only a matter of time before I was another victim. Just like all the others that died around me because heaven knows people like me don't usually last long. I would have never survived. I would have never lived so long without the man upstairs, the help of my sister, and the doctors she knew from work. They could perform miracles on anyone. I was a miracle.

Once I found out I could survive the apocalypse, I learned how to fight to protect myself even if it went against everything I believed in. The very thought of being labeled a killer was plausible for me, but I still hated it. The blood lust pulsing through my veins every time I boldly killed a group of Walkers caused me to have vivid nightmares. The idea of loathing my lifestyle as a killer made me sound weak, when I was really moralistic. Before that apocalypse occurred, I was a kind, patient sixteen year old girl, but that was four years ago, and I could no longer say the same.

I was nineteen going and twenty years old and as the days passed by, so did what was left of my humanity. Sometimes I would spend hours just staring at the rotting walls of an old restaurant or motel talking to myself. Spending a year without any human contact could drive anyone mad, but then something suddenly clicked. I walked the streets on one smoldering hot day to find a fenced in place guarded by some overweight white male with a mullet on his head.

"How do you do?" He was cradling some sort of rifle in his arms.

"What?" I asked exhausted from the scorching hot sun beaming down on my dark brown skin.  
"Uh… I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself, the name's Eugene."

"Ok… and my name is Nea Frey." There was a black gate behind Eugene with the word Alexandria located at the top of the black bars.

"Is this a community where people live?" I asked even if it seemed like a stupid question. It was obvious at least one person lived there, and where there is a fence or wall there is a community.

"Yes. You need to meet our leader before we let you in, his name is Rick Grimes. Wait here," Eugene informed, and I just stood there trying to wait patiently.

I prepared myself for the worst aware that there leader Rick Grimes or whatever his name was would probably not be happy about seeing a new face. He would probably try to rob me of my book bag, and then shoot me in the head. I was completely fine with the last alternative, someone would finally end my suffering.

Eugene opened the gate, and he unlocked the chain that was located on the arch shaped wooden door in the center of a massive brick wall that seemed to separate the entire community from the outside world. Eugene was gone for several minutes, and I was accompanied by flies and the sound of bees buzzing around me. I began counting to sixty in my head, and if he didn't not return in sixty seconds I was planning on leaving whether it was a safe place for me to live or not. Thirty seconds passed, and I saw a man with long, skinny legs and greasy, curly hair walk through the wooden door and opened gate. He appeared to be around forty years old, and to some women who craved older, rugged looking men he would have been a dream.

He gazed me with one eye squinting from the sunlight, I assumed. Rick was this tall and foreign man who seemed tired, oppressed, and above all weighed down by grief.

I looked down at his hand clutching onto a gun strapped against his waist. Rick fashioned a police officer uniform causing unwanted memories to invade my brain.

"How many Walkers have you killed? How many people have you killed?" Rick abruptly pestered me with an intimidating glare in his eyes. I could tell he was someone only a fool would try to double cross, and in the past four years I had done some foolish things.

"Those are good questions officer Grimes, and I wish I could answer them, but I can't."

Rick glared at me as if I was a cockroach underneath his shoe. I was nothing to him, but another soulless dead body. He pointed his gun directly at me forehead.

"I am going to ask you again. How many people have you killed?"  
I took two steps back away from the gun being head towards my forehead, and I gave Rick and tried and angry glare.

"I just told you I don't know," I emphasized not holding back on my clear annoyance.

"You've got three seconds."

"1, 2,…"

Rick cocked his gun, and I took a deep breath. "Two people," I spoke up before Rick fire the gun.

"I killed two people. And I was forced to kill them, so don't go assuming the worst. I am not a killer. I am just a nineteen year old young woman trying to survive, and I have been on my own for one year, so I am asking you to at least give me a chance. I won't cause any trouble," I confessed looking Rick directly in his eyes. No one could intimidate me anymore. The quiet, good girl that I was before the apocalypse died and was now replaced with a void monster.

Rick put the gun down and he glanced over at Eugene whispering something in his ear. Eugene nodded swiftly like a little obedient dog, and then he walked through wooden door located on the brick wall.

"Are you armed?" Rick asked me appearing like he was getting ready to search me for proof.

"Not really, the only weapon I have is this dagger and two knives." I pulled it out of the side of my black skinny jeans. Then I reached inside of my laced black boots and grabbed two throwing knives. I briefly looked down at my attire realizing I was dressed in old colors for the summer. I wore a pair of black skinny jeans, a red and black plaid short sleeved top, and the black laced boots. My long dark brown hair was hanging straight down my back as usual, and I noted that no matter how humid the weather got my hair would always fall straight.

Rick grabbed my attention again, when he snatched my weapons away from me aggressively. I glared at him like he was insane.

"Come on, you're coming with me," he replied. Rick locked the black gate, and then we strode through the arched door way and into the community.

My eyes scanned the sight of the foreign territory, and I was less than impressed. The place didn't smell like old horse bile, so that was an improvement. The scent of rotting flesh and dried blood was replaced with fresher, cleaner air. The houses that we passed by were moderate in size, but the greatest down fall were the people who were standing outside gazing upon me. All the attention from the people in the community made me feel uneasy as if I was an unwelcome, untrustworthy, and an intruder.

Rick and I finally came to a halt when we arrived at one of the larger, immaculate looking white painted homes.

"I want to keep my eye on you until I know you can be trusted, so you'll be staying with me for this week. Then if you prove your loyalty we'll find you somewhere to stay, but if you are with Negan or someone else that poses a threat to my family and this community I'll kill you," Rick professed, and all I could do was nod like a little female dog. It was a matter of life and death, and I was willing to accept Rick's laws, even if it was temporary.

Rick eye's burned into mine like he was trying to test me. He wanted to know whether not he was allowing a murderer into his home, although I had already told him I was innocent.

"Good," he finally voiced with a sinister smirk painted on his face. I would have given anything to wipe off his smirk permanently, but I knew I was outnumbered.

Rick opened the door of his home, and I took in the image of the modern, middle class living area. The house smelled like fresh oak.

"Carl! Michonne!" Rick shouted with his voice echoing throughout the corridor. My eyes widen as my heart began to race.

"What is it dad?" A young teenage boy said. He stood at the top of the stairs with a white bandage over his eye, dressed in a plaid shirt and blue jeans. Based on the expression from the uncovered part of his face he looked bewildered like he was expecting Rick to pronounce someone as dead. His bewildered expression soon faded though as his eyes caught me standing beside Rick, and I tried my best to make my face neutral. The boy gazed at me as if I were an alien or some kind of fictional creature come to life. His blue eye scanned me, and I felt more uncomfortable in his presence than Rick's. The boy appeared to be around seventeen years old, and I had experience with the many strange gestures of teenage boys.

"Carl this is our new member and temporary house guest. Her name is Nea Frey, she will be living with us until we know whether or not she can be trusted," Rick told his son.

"Oh," was all the boy had to say. He watched me just like Rick stalked me. They both stared at me like I was trash they would soon dispose of.

"Where is Michonne?" Rick asked, and I almost flinched.

"I don't know. I think she said something about going to visit Carol."

"Well, when she comes back make sure she knows about our situation."

"Ok dad," Carl answered like he was ready for his father to go away.

"Rick opened the front door about the exit the home, when there was a person on the other side of door. It was a dark brown skinned woman with long dreads, and a tall, slim frame.

"Nea?" The woman was clearly in shock.

"Hey auntie Michonne," I greeted her in a severe state of distress.

AN: CARL! Hahaha. Hello peoples this is my first The Walking Dead fanfiction as you can probably tell. I'm sorry if this was poorly written, I have a ton of other stuff to write so my brain is really crowded.

I hope I didn't ruin anyone's day with my bad writing.

Anyway, I am currently on season 5 of The Walking Dead. My older sister and I started watching it over Spring Break. We only have three more episodes left to watch. (Cries).

Also if you like chapter 1 of this fic then let me know with favs, follows, or reviews. Because I refuse to waste my time writing something no one likes. Lastly, if you thought this was an ok chapter tell me what you want me to write next. Where should the story go from here?  
Don't be afraid to message me!


	2. Chapter 2

**Song for this chapter: Alive by Sia (I had nothing else to offer.)**

Nea Pov:

There she was. My aunt Michonne in the flesh, alive, and breathing. _How could it be?_ I questioned to myself. Everyone in my family was dead. People considered associates, family, teachers, and school administers were all gone. Most of them had become one of the Dead, the Walkers.

She stood in the doorway staring at me as if I were a ghost. A stranger that seemed so familiar. Slowly she stepped into the house and approached me, my ears caught the clicking sound of Rick shutting the door, but I paid him no attention. My sight was only focused on my last living relative.

As aunt Michonne moved towards me, I began blinking heavily suddenly feeling nervous from the unexpected reunion. She never spoke back, she only watched as if she questioned my very existence.

Michonne touched the right side of my face, and I flinched from the unexpected, uncomfortable situation.

"And it's really you?" Aunt Michonne asked, and my normally dry eyes became flooded with tears. I simply nodded finding it too difficult to speak. I went from being nervous to emotional in the matter of seconds making me aware it had been too long since I had any association with people.

Her question brought me back to the all the trauma I faced in the past four years. Every year brought a new loss, and in the past year my life had become nothing but survival and loneliness. I fought back the tears while the intrusive painful memories threatened to escape the dark, depths of my mind where I vowed to bury them.

Family had always been my weakness, which is why I hated being around them growing up. Little did I know, how I would regret taking people that loved me more than anything for granted.

The shock on aunt Michonne's face began to fade, and it was replaced by a look of sorrow. Sorrow for me and her. Grief for everything that we both probably loss, just to find each other four years after the apocalypse.

Aunt Michonne pulled me into a tight embrace, and I felt like I was suffocating. My heart rate had slowed, but my mental anguish remained.

Tears fell down my rough cheeks and onto the top of Michonne's shirt. She patted me on the back gently attempting to soothe my distress.

There was so much lost time between us. _How long had it been?_ Since I saw her, heard her voice, or believed she was alive. A poor attempt at measuring time would lead me to say seven years. Seven long years separated us. My father Ruben had no contact with my aunt Michonne for three years before the apocalypse occurred, and after the apocalypse happened she never crossed my mind.

"I'm sorry," I apologized ending the hug. Aunt Michonne wiped away the fresh tears on my face, and she appeared calmer. One of us had to be.

"Don't be," she assured me placing her hands on both sides of my face. A sad, insincere smile spread across my dark brown, oval shaped face.

I sniffled. "It's just I thought you were dead. I mean I know you're are a survivor, but after being out on my own for so long I started to lose hope."

"You were alone?" She asked.

"Yes," I answered faster than I should have, I predicted where the conversation was leading.

"For how long?"

"About a year."

"And Ruben?"  
My eyes burned with tears at the sound of my father's name, but this time I refused to allow them to escape. Something inside me turned cold, and the shield I had built around myself prevented me from expressing my anguish.

"He's dead…and mother and Nora is dead also," I confirmed, and aunt Michonne nodded like part of her already knew.

I watched as the tears brimmed in her eyes, and she no longer made eye contact. Michonne's eyes fell to the floor in a poor attempt to suppress her emotions, and I was aware it was my turn to comfort her.

I hugged my aunt Michonne for a second time, as we embraced each other I drifted my gaze to Rick, who was not standing far behind Michonne.

He glared at me momentarily appearing focused. We watched each other not blinking or softening our expressions. It was obvious I was an uninvited guest. I could tell by just looking at him that Rick was the kind of man you had to work overtime to gain his respect, a job I would have to take on unwillingly.

After several seconds Rick settled on doing the right thing and quickly turned his head away. Although Rick's body language still proved he was disturbed. He rubbed the rough hairs on his chin gazing down at the floor. It must have felt awkward for someone close to him to be upset, and he wasn't able to console her. The frown upon Rick's said a thousand words. My presence was troubling him, and I understood how everything was hard to fathom.

My observation of Rick was abruptly interrupted by the sound of loud wailing. I knew it didn't come from aunt Michonne even though I still broke away from her.

The wailing sounded like a baby crying, and then I heard footsteps.

"Is that a baby crying?" I questioned even though it was pretty obvious. Who would be insane enough to have a baby in our devastated world?

"That's Rick's daughter Judith," aunt Michonne informed me.

"She's not yours?" I asked aunt Michonne.

"No," Rick and aunt Michonne blurted out in unison.

If the situation was not so serious their abrupt answer would have been

"Would you like to meet her?" Aunt Michonne questioned, and I was rendered speechless once again.

"Um… sure," I replied nervously trying my best not to be rude.

Aunt Michonne and I walked up the stairs and into Judith's nursery. There was a wooden crib on the right side of the relatively empty room, and beside the crib was Carl cradling his wailing baby sister on his hip.

"Carl let Nea hold Judith," Michonne smiled at Carl, and he slowly approached me.

A negative air congested the room, Carl clearly did not want me there, and he definitely didn't want me to touch his baby sister.

"I don't know if this is a good idea," I doubted wanting to run out of the room.

"She's a baby Nea. You'll be fine," aunt Michonne attempted to calm me, but my fears were not nearly soothed. What if I dropped her?

Carl was several inches away, and I froze. How was I supposed to hold a baby? I had never held a baby or taken care of a child before. I was never like the other girls who I attended school with. They were always eager to hold babies, learn how to cook, and babysit children. They were getting prepared for a family one day. Most of them had maternal instincts. Me, I didn't know the first thing about being maternal.

Judith. The little stranger wined, and Carl and Michonne did their best to coo her before he handed her over. When Carl was close enough to hand her over, I looked into my aunt Michonne's eyes needing permission to sign away my unaffectionate rights.

Aunt Michonne nodded in encouragement, and I held out my arms to grasp onto the tiny creature. Carl seemed pissed about something. His frown was similar to Ricks, showing there was something plaguing his mind, and I assumed a least part of his problem was me.

Carl glared at me as he handed over Judith, and when I was younger I would have crumbled at his glare. The close proximity, the hatred in his eyes would have made want to crawl into a hole and die, but he couldn't break me.

After all life makes you hard, so I ignored his closeness fixing my eyes on Judith. I grabbed her waist lifting her with both hands, and I placed her onto my right hip.

Her warmth was the first thing I noticed. Judith's skin was so warm, she smelled like fresh powder scented soap. A soft pillow, cushion came to mind after I made contact with her delicate skin. The little girl was similar to a bouquet of sweet scented flowers, innocent and pure. Not tainted by our cruel world. She unaware what it felt like to suffer. Judith oblivious to pain and death. How can something be so innocent? So clueless? The puzzling questions led me to one conclusion, Judith's existence was a miracle.

I was so memorized by her, I didn't realize she had stopped crying. Judith studied me as if she wondered who or want I was, I thought the same thing about her honestly. We were both completely clueless.

"She stopped crying," My aunt Michonne pointed out.

"I wonder why. I've never even held a child before."

"Maybe you have the magic touch," aunt Michonne joked placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I guess I do."

"Ok that's enough," Carl said all of sudden.

"Come here Judith," he voiced to his baby sister. He treated more like Judith more like a puppy than a baby.

He took Judith off my hip, and placed her back into her crib.

"Judith usually takes a nap around this time," Carl explained, yet I was still confused.

Aunt Michonne didn't say anything. There was an awkward silence between the three of us while Carl's one eye switched from aunt Michonne and me.

"I'm going to go visit Enid," Carl addressed to aunt Michonne, then he brushed past me practically storming out of the room.

I was curious who put fire ants in his pants.

"What's his problem?"

"He's a teenage boy. And he is a lot like his father, so it might take a while before they get used to you. I'll talk to Rick later about you staying here."

"Ok, I understand, thanks aunt Michonne for being so trusting. You don't know what I went through out there."

"And's that's not important right now. What we need to focus on is finding a room for you to sleep in tonight. We have one more room available, but it's the attic."

"That's fine. I've slept in way worse places than an attic. I have gotten to the point where as long as I have somewhere to rest my head, I will sleep underground."

"Well you don't have to worry about that anymore," aunt Michonne made known, but I wasn't so sure.

After being on my own for so long and experiencing a lot of lost time with aunt Michonne, I suddenly realized that I had forgotten the importance of having a home.

 **AN:** Hello… it's me, and today is my birthday! Yay! I can't believe I'm two decades old. If only Ouat Neverland existed I would've escape their when I was 17.

It has been way too long since I updated this and last night after my b day dinner, I deleted this chapter and made a few changes, so I hope it's an improvement. I read each and every one of the reviews, and thank you so much for the feedback. I try to take whatever you say into consideration because I want this story to be entertaining and well written.

Also don't worry about the dullness of this chapter I am slowly but surely mapping a plot for this story, and in the future chapters I will definitely try to switch to other POV's. (pssss… maybe Rick or Michonne.) So keep the feedback coming!

Quick Question: Does anyone watch Supernatural?


	3. Chapter 3

Winter used to be my favorite season. A time of joy, comfort, and reflection. Some people gave thanks, treated their loved ones with special gifts, donated to the poor, stuffed their faces with fattening foods, and above all spent quality time with one another.

The glow of red and green lights shined during the night. Fresh scents of pine from the Christmas tree and pumpkin spice candles filled each room in my house. Soothing crackles of the orange flames provided warmth while classic motion pictures were shown on the flat television screen. Outside lived naked trees, skin dehydrating air, and random Christmas carolers. The chaos from holiday shopping was something I anticipated most.

Now, I had nothing to look forward to expect a thieving, murderer killing me in my sleep.

The holiday season had become a mockery, a reminder that I should not have taken life's normal imperfections for granted. I yearned for my family's presence. My parents lectures, my grandparents unnecessary words of wisdom more than ever. I longed to hear the voices of relatives I knew, and the people on my father's side Nora always wanted to contact.

Or she used to seek out. My older sister Nora found a new group of people to confide in. Only two remained. She was the fortunate sister, having Doctors as acquaintances. Each with their own unique flair. Dr. Noah Shaw was a genius and Dr. Bodie Fisher was quite the opposite. I thought they were both useless baboons.

Thick sheets of slick ice paved the streets we tread upon.

"Told you we should have robbed one of those boutiques for coats," Bodie stated to no one in specific. His was such a scrawny, lanky dork. His skin was whiter than the snow, and his hair was fine and straight.

A shiver spread down my spine. I walked like a busted pipe was stuck up my anus to prevent from slipping for the one thousandth time. We had to find shelter soon because I began to feel murderous. I shot him an intimidating glare. Bodie didn't gaze my direction, the coward.

"It's not considered robbery anymore idiot, law enforcement was obliterated with the rest of the world," I voiced.

"Whatever smarty pants." He was a doctor calling me intelligent. Bodie was a lost cause without his gun. And if Nora wasn't holding his hand every second he'd be Walker chow.

Bodie shrugged. "How should I know? I can't predict the weather. I didn't go to school to be a meteorolorgy-ist."

"I sure hope we find somewhere to rest our heads soon," Nora dragged. We had no roof over our heads for days. The night before, we slept on blankets of snow between the trees.

"Are you tired?" Noah asked lightly. He had an angelic face, baby blue eyes and tousled blond hair complimented his heart shaped head.

"Tired ain't even the word."

"We're almost there," Noah comforted Nora placing his arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and I saw Bodie momentarily cringe. Jealous much.

"Where we headed?" Bodie asked with his rich southern drawl.

"Downtown Atlanta," Noah answered, glancing over his shoulder at Bodie.

"How far is that?" Jadyn breathed, cold air brushed past his plump, pink lips.

"Oh… about a mile or two away," Noah responded never facing Jadyn. That's because he was a liar. We arrived on the outskirts of downtown Atlanta right before the sky darkened.

Walkers lined some of the streets, and we took the safest route possible. Bodie was still afraid of killing so Noah and Nora handled all the Walkers that stood in our away.

We entered one of the closest and tallest hotels. The Westin Peachtree Plaza, it might have been a glorious sight in the past, but to my eyes it was busted up and partially burned. Probably because of the bombs they dropped during the decontamination period of the apocalypse. The government officials wanted to wipe out as many Walkers as possible, and they sure did a bomb job.

I caught the whiff of rotten eggs as soon as we spun through the revolving doors.

The smell of death was something a human never fully adapted to. But what can you do when you want to sleep or eat, yet resources are scarce? Nothing, but sit and wait to die.

That's exactly what we did in the lobby. The bar table was shaped like a smile, and I was the last to take a seat on the cushioned stools. Each of us had already chosen our rooms, I wanted to be the rebel and chose one on a higher floor.

Most of the Westin was covered in cobwebs, and broken glass was scattered across the floor of the lobby. Then the bar had no alcohol. The shelves where the bottles were supposed to sit were vacant. The whole hotel was messed up. A spacious circular skyscraper. And the glass roof over our heads was missing, so all the frost from outside entered the building.

"At least this place has a working generator," Noah address moving behind the table.

"Yep and no booze," Bodie replied patting the bar table.

Noah opened one of the cabinets, behind the counter, and out came a wide bottle.  
"Look what I found. Lunazul Tequila," he read.

"God is good," Bodie's round, pale brown eyes lit up, and Nora chuckled.

"I guess we'll have to just pass it around," Noah suggested.

"Fine by me. I need something to warm my blood," Nora's pallid almond hand reached from the crystal clear liquor first, and I was stunned. Nora was becoming a completely different person since the apocalypse. She never drunk alcohol before.

I shook my head in disapproval. "Crap," I blurted, my voice void of life.

"What?" Jadyn asked, he was the only one who cared.

"I left my jacket upstairs."

"Want me to get it?"

"No, I'll go," I stated jumping down from the three-foot stool.

"Nea it's not safe to travel in the new place alone, let Jadyn go with you" Noah was kind enough to say.

"Whatever," I growled, walking away.

Jadyn followed close behind as I crept up the spiral stairs leading to the floor with a gift shop and gym. I wanted to push him off the stairs the further we climbed, but I restrained myself.

Glass shards protruded from the sides of the stairs, reminding me of the ice sickles hanging from the skinned tree branches in the woods.

Shiny crystals crunched underneath our feet as we step onto the sixth floor. The elevators sat in the middle of the hall, and the souvenir store sat at the right end. Elevators faced each other, each representing a different section of rooms.

We entered the elevator that went from the fortieth to the seventy-second floor.

"I got it," I told Jadyn pressing the round number labeled twenty second floor.

I hated elevators. They made me feel like I was drifting in outer space.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, you probably already know the answer though; we've known each other for so long."

Jadyn laughed nervously, gazing down at the Westin Peachtree tiles. He was always weird around me. Ever since Kindergarten when people used to bully him for being an overweight brown boy, he was the weird friend I could not get rid of.

"Do you miss school?"

I scoffed. "No. I miss my family, and I wish that I would have died during the beginning of the outbreak. Then I wouldn't have to live without them…"

"I miss my folks too."

"We wouldn't have to worry about school now anyway. We're eighteen," I stated.

"What about college?" Jadyn questioned.

"College is overrated. Let's face it, I never had a future."

"I don't believe that. Nea Frey you're the wisest girl I know." Jadyn said. I glanced over at him. We stared at each other blankly for a second, and then the lights began to flicker. On and off until everything went black.

The elevator screeched and made a noise that sounded like bells chiming.

It was a signal that we reached our floor. Air seeped into the boxed in elevator as the metal doors moved apart.

The lights flashed on when the doors were halfway open, and I froze as a horde of Walkers rushed in.

I opened the eyes to meet the attics wooden ceiling. I wasn't asleep. I never slept. Because every time I allowed my body to receive some rest, my mind drew back to something I fought to forget.

We entered the elevator.

"I got it," I told Jadyn pressing the round number labeled twenty second floor.

I hated elevators. They made me feel like I was drifting in outer space.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, you probably already know the answer though; we've known each other for so long."

Jadyn laughed nervously, gazing down at the Westin Peachtree tiles. He was always weird around me. Ever since Kindergarten when people used to bully him for being an overweight brown boy, he was the weird friend I could not get rid of.

"Do you miss school?"

I scoffed. "No. I miss my family, and I wish that I would have died during the beginning of the outbreak. Then I wouldn't have to live without them…"

"I miss my folks too."

"We wouldn't have to worry about school now anyway. We're eighteen," I stated.

"What about college?" Jadyn questioned.

"College is overrated. Let's face it, I never had a future."

"I don't believe that. Nea Frey you're the wisest girl I know." Jaydn said. I glanced over at him. We stared at each other blankly for a second, and then the lights began to flicker. On and off until everything went black.

The elevator screeched and made a noise that sounded like bells chiming.

It was a signal that we reached our floor. Air seeped into the boxed in elevator as the metal doors moved apart.

The lights flashed on when the doors were halfway open, and I froze as a horde of Walkers rushed in.

My irises met the attics wooden ceiling. I wasn't asleep. I never slept. Because every time I allowed my body to receive some rest, my mind drew back to something I fought to forget.

 **Michonne POV:**

I tossed and turned for a second until my body faced the right side of the bed where Rick slept. I loved to inhale his rustic scent in the morning. A mix of blissful sweat and aftershave was just what I needed. I moved a closer to his side just to feel his warmth, but instead a chill shot through my body. I opened my eyes to see Rick sitting beside the window, putting bullets in his gun.

"You're still up?" I asked, voice still heavy with sleep.

"Yeah," Rick sighed, sounding more exhausted than usual. I slid my arms into the sleeves of my robe that was still stretched out on the floor. I tied the white cloth and walked to him placing my hand on his shoulder.

"What's the matter?" I asked, needing to know what was going on inside that curly head of his.

"We need to drive Judith back to the Hilltop." I watched him as he picked down the gun, and gazed out inside our bedroom window. The sky was still black, but I could tell it would morning soon because no stars were out.

"This is about Nea," I gathered standing beside the right wall, so I could face him.

Rick nodded, looking down for a moment. I followed his gaze, waiting for his answer. "She can't stay here Michonne. We just got back on our feet, besides we already got too many mouths to feed."

He must've been referring to some people from the Kingdom moving in since Ezekiel was killed.

"And we can afford another one. What's got into you lately?"

"I know Judith being sick scared you, but she's ok. We are ok, right?" I needed reassurance.

Rick's eye's left the dark, and his face went from serious to calm and calculated. His lips turned up into a crooked smile. It was weak attempt to hide his anguish, but I knew he was sincere. "Yeah, yeah we are ok."

"Good," I said, smiling halfheartedly. His arms snaked around my waist, pulling me closer. I wanted more of him. Rick gazed into my eyes, his features softened.

"But your niece Nea can't stay here." My smile was the only one to fade, and I don't why I was surprised.

"We've worked hard to get where we are, and I won't have some kid coming in and changing everything. Wha- what do you know about her anyway? She claims she has been out there on her own. And we both know what it's like out there. God knows what she's done or been through since the last time you two saw each other."

"She's not just some kid. She is my family," I stressed, breaking away from him.

"Living as a rogue or nomad changes you, you of all people know that."

"And I haven't seen her in years. She deserves a chance. Remember when we first got here? Deanna let us stay here without knowing what we were capable of."  
"That was different."

"Was it? Listen I do not want to fight with you about this. Nea is going to stay with us. And if she becomes a problem than I'll handle it. Right now, she just needs shelter, I'll be her for her no matter what she's been through."

"That right there, is why I can't see myself with anyone else," Rick confessed, pulling me in. Our noses touched, before he planted a soft kiss against my lips. I pulled away, taking a minute to drink him in before I took his hand, and leading him back to bed. Our favorite place to share our love.

 **Nea Pov:**

I had to get out of there. The only thing this community seemed good for was a lukewarm shower. I slid out of bed with a pair of gray sweats aunt Michonne let me borrow and a plain black T-shirt.

Stepping back into my boots, I grabbed my bag, and headed for the door. It wasn't an easy task sneaking pass their rooms. Anything could have happened. My biggest fear was waking Judith.

She was sweet, but if she cried I'd have to kill her. The house was so quiet, a wrong move could easily set her off. I took my time though. Inch by inch, my silent footsteps, and shallow breaths allowed me to make it down the creaky stairs.

"Going somewhere?"

He was wearing dark gray, plaid pajama pants, and a quarter length gray shirt. We were almost matching.

I exhaled sharply like I was breathing for the first time. It was a shock to see the boy standing at the top of the stairs, it was even more surprising he wasn't armed. He stared at me through his one blue eye, and I opened my mouth before speaking, trying to find the right words to say.

"Tell aunt Michonne I'm sorry," I spoke swiftly, and I did not wait for his response. I just turned and shut the door behind me quietly, knowing I would have been trapped otherwise.

But Carl didn't stop me. Why would he? Him and Rick didn't want me their anyway.

A few desperate Walkers trailed me, but I just ignored them.

I traveled for about two miles until I came across and little convenience store to stay in for the remainder of the night. I dwelled inside the store the day before, I arrived at Alexandria's walls. I even left behind an unwanted gift. I hated fighting. It gave me an unwanted thrill. So, I thought it was smart to dispose of my most valuable possession.

Behind the rustic, splintered wooden checkout desk hide a shiny, sliver Claymore.

Exiting the store, the Walkers approached me. I sliced the first, decomposed monster across the face, splitting his head into two. The next was a female Walker in a tattered, swamp colored dress and a man in a suit. They could've been a bride and groom.

Their flesh was fragile like paper, and their hair was like straw. I chopped off the top of their heads with one swing.

Taking a needed breath, I walked back inside the store. I pulled the blinds down, and I sat behind the counter.

It felt good to rest my bones again. No one was around to bother me. The comfortable silence was great. I was glad to be alone, it was all I knew for a long time. Which is why as soon as the sun rose I would continue my journey to nowhere.

AN: Hey! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. I have to start school on Monday Jan. 9th, so I wanted to post this chapter tonight. I may make some changes tomorrow, so don't be surprised. (I still need to proofread oops.)

Still, I hope this chapter was ok…. I kind of know where I want to go for the next couple of chapters! But let me know what you want, and give me some predictions. Until we meet again!

"There is life in the old girl yet!" –Lestat, Interview with A Vampire


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